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What can we do to save water?
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12 Steps to Saving Water ( Courtesy: A Veteran's Vision, International )
1. Water your lawn only when it needs it. Step on your grass. If it springs back, when you lift your foot, it doesn't need water. So set your sprinklers for more days in between watering. Saves 750-1,500 gallons per month. Better yet, especially in times of drought, water with a hose. And best of all, convert your lawn to native plants.
2. Fix leaky faucets and plumbing joints. Saves 20 gallons per day for every leak stopped.
3. Don't run the hose while washing your car. Use a bucket of water and a quick hose rinse at the end. Saves 150 gallons each time. For a two-car family that's up to 1,200 gallons a month.
4. Install water-saving shower heads or flow restrictors. Saves 500 to 800 gallons per month.
5. Run only full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher. Saves 300 to 800 gallons per month.
6. Shorten your showers. Even a one or two minute reduction can save up to 700 gallons per month.
7. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks. Saves 150 gallons or more each time. At once a week, that's more than 600 gallons a month.
8. Don't use your toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket. Saves 400 to 600 gallons per month.
9. Capture tap water. While you wait for hot water to come down the pipes, catch the flow in a watering can to use later on house plants or your garden. Saves 200 to 300 gallons per month.
10. Don't water the sidewalks, driveway or gutter. Adjust your sprinklers so that water lands on your lawn or garden where it belongs--and only there. Saves 500 gallons per month.
Water Conservation in Bathrooms
1. Put a plastic bottle or a plastic bag weighted with pebbles and filled with water in your toilet tank. Displacing water in this manner allows you to use less water with each flush. Saves 5 to 10 gallons a day. That's up to 300 gallons a month, even more for large families. Better yet, for even greater savings, replace your water-guzzling five to seven gallon a flush toilet with a one and a half gallon, ultra-low flush model.
2. If you're taking a shower, don't waste cold water while waiting for hot water to reach the shower head. Catch that water in a container to use on your outside plants or to flush your toilet. Saves 200 to 300 gallons a month.
3. Check toilet for leaks. Put dye tablets or food coloring into the tank. If color appears in the bowl without flushing, there's a leak that should be repaired. Saves 400 gallons a month.
4. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth. Saves three gallons each day.
5. Turn off the water while shaving. Fill the bottom of the sink with a few inches of water to rinse your razor. Saves three gallons each day.
Water Conservation in Kitchens
1. If you wash dishes by hand--and that's the best way--don't leave the water running for rinsing. If you have two sinks, fill one with rinse water. If you only have one sink, use a spray device or short blasts instead of letting the water run. Saves 200 to 500 gallons a month.
2. When washing dishes by hand, use the least amount of detergent possible. This minimizes rinse water needed. Saves 50 to 150 gallons a month.
3. Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator. This beats the wasteful habit of running tap water to cool it for drinking. Saves 200 to 300 gallons a month.
4. Don't defrost frozen foods with running water. Either plan ahead by placing frozen items in the refrigerator overnight or defrost them in the microwave. Saves 50 to 150 gallons a month.
5. Don't let the faucet run while you clean vegetables. Rinse them in a filled sink or pan. Saves 150 to 250 gallons a month.
Water Conservation Outside at Home
1. Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants. Chunks of bark, peat moss or gravel slows down evaporation. Saves 750 to 1,500 gallons a month.
2. If you have a pool, use a pool cover to cut down on evaporation. It will also keep your pool cleaner and reduce the need to add chemicals. Saves 1,000 gallons a month.
3. Water during the cool parts of the day. Early morning is better than dusk since it helps prevent the growth of fungus. Saves 300 gallons.
4. Don't water the lawn on windy days. There's too much evaporation. Can waste up to 300 gallons in one watering.
5. Cut down watering on cool and overcast days and don't water in the rain. Adjust or deactivate automatic sprinklers. Can save up to 300 gallons each time.
6. Set lawn mower blades one notch higher. Longer grass means less evaporation. Saves 500 to 1,500 gallons each month.
7. Have an evaporative air conditioner? Direct the water drain line to a flower bed, tree base, or lawn.
8. Drive your car onto a lawn to wash it. Rinse water can help water the grass.
9. Tell your children not to play with the garden hose. Saves 10 gallons a minute.
10. If you allow your children to play in the sprinklers, make sure it's only when you're watering the yard--if it's not too cool at that time of day.
11. Replace your lawn and high-water-using trees and plants with less thirsty ones. But do this only in wet years. Even drought resistant plantings take extra water to get them going. That'll save 750 to 1,500 gallons a month.
12. When taking your car to a car wash--a good idea for saving water--be sure it's one of the many that recycles its wash water.
Don't wash it yourselves; graywater only works when it’s reused... | | |
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Overview: The US has sections that are in dire drought conditions, other regions have ample water, but the quality may not be drinkable or require processing. This page covers regionally. Each section contains a brief overview, with links to websites, articles, and organizations for further research.
All ACTWS alternative water source technology products are compliant with LEED, EPP and the State of California Green Action Plan.
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Federal Action
Federal LEED Green Building
EO 13423
The US EPA has established on a Federal level criteria, E0 13423 for new and renovated construction projects. They are focusing on "green" products and equipment. The program is called Environmentally Preferred Purchasing. California has a similar program for State, new school projects also called EPP.
According to the EPA, Environmentally preferable means "products or services that have a
lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when
compared with competing products or services that serve the same
purpose." Source: http://www.epa.gov/epp/pubs/about/about.htm
ACTWS is compliant with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED), the nation’s leading green building rating
system, promotes “high performance” building practices; energy, water
and materials conservation; environmentally preferred products and
practices; improvements in employee health, comfort and productivity;
and reductions in facility operation costs and environmental impacts.
US Green Building Council LEED Green Building Criteria
- Lower operating costs and increased asset value.
- Reduce waste sent to landfills.
- Conserve energy and water.
- Healthier and safer for occupants.
- Reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
- Qualify for tax rebates, zoning allowances and other incentives in hundreds of cities.
- Demonstrate an owner's commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility.
Federal Whole Building Design Guide Criteria
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State of California EO S 20 04
Green Building Action Plan Building Guidelines
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Reducing electricity consumption by 20% by 2015
- Maximize water conservation
- Improve energy use and environmental performance
- The State of California is moving for US LEED Certification on all newly constructed State buildings
- LEED Certification on all State building retrofit and building renovations
So, what makes alternative water sources an environmentally preferred means of meeting EO 13423 and E0 S 20 40?
Alternative
Water Source Technology achieves every goal in both the State and
Federal LEED Criteria for Green Products Compliance:
ACTWS LEED Compliant Products
- Improves outdoor and indoor air quality: Clean
the air by removing bacteria, viruses, mold, dust, dander, smog,
formaldehyde, radon, smog, vehicle emissions, paint fumes,
rust---making the air 99.9% pure. Reducing smog, improving air quality, improving the health quality in the building.
- Efficient use of water: Makes efficient use of ground water, provides and alternative water source which supplements depleted aquifer water supplies. Non-Agro systems filter the water, and sterilize it giving 99.9% pure water to your building's occupants.
- Reduced Waste:
With the building being supplied with a sustained water source, this
means that bottled water doesn't need to be brought in. Without the
bottles of water, this means less trash to end up in the landfill.
- Cost Efficiency:
With lowered waste, water self-sustained, improved air quality, assists
in reduction of outdoor air pollution, the building will have a lowered
operational cost.
- Energy Efficiency: All our systems are UL and Energy Star Rated, and EPA Approved. Exceeding EPA requriements for a Green Technology
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